Newsroom Archive for 07/, 2008

The Sorensen Institute's College Leaders Program Class of 2008 celebrated its graduation on Saturday, June 28 in the historic Dome Room of the University of Virginia Rotunda.

The members of CLP08 selected Ben Schultz of the College of William and Mary to be its Class Speaker at this event.

Ben is introduced by Marc Johnson, Director of Sorensen's Youth Programs and himself a graduate of the College Leaders Program Class of 2003.

Allison Hunn (top photo) and Troy Williams (below photo) shared this year's "Spirit of Citizenship Award" at the College Leaders Program Class of 2008 graduation. The announcement came from Marc Johnson.

Jody Wagner, Virginia's Secretary of Finance and a member of the Sorensen Institute's State Advisory Board, was the keynote speaker at this year's CLP graduation.

Program Managers for the College Leaders Program Class of 2008 shared their thoughts at Saturday's graduation. In order of speaking were Emily Reijmers (CLP 2006), Chris Wrobel (CLP 2005), and Jamie Lockhart (CLP 2007).

The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership's College Leaders Program Class of 2008.

The Summer 2008 edition of Virginia Leadership is now available. Click on the cover image at left to download a PDF (1.1MB).

This isssue includes a welcome to our new Executive Director Bob Gibson, a look at the PLP Class of 2008, an update on our Youth Programs, complete coverage of the 2008 Gala, and more.

Enjoy!

Sorensen's Bob Gibson and Marc Johnson were guests yesterday on public radio station WMRA. Enjoy!

High School Leaders Program Class of 2008
Day 1—Saturday, July 12
Reported by: Michelle Kinzer and David Newill-Smith

     It was 11:30am when my family arrived at Bice hall. We expected a whole flood of people to be filing in to the building with lamps, luggage and pillows, but it turns out we were a bit early. Very early actually…we were the first ones here. As it got closer to 12:00 though, cars began to wander into the parking lot. The families and students started unpacking and settling in. When I first saw my apartment suite I was so excited! I unloaded my corn pops and bagels in the kitchen, my laptop and notebooks on my desk and all my dress clothes for the next two weeks into my spacious wardrobe. It was surreal to finally be here after all the anticipation.
     At 2:00pm we met in the lobby of Bice for the beginning of the orientation. Our parents went down in the basement lounge to learn all about what we will be doing for the next couple of weeks and the students went on an exhausting tour of the campus. It sure is hot in Charlottesville in July! When we met back up with our parents it was time to say goodbye until graduation. The last thing that my mom said to me was, “I’ll be checking the newsroom every day for updates of what you’re up to!” So…hi mom!
     Right away we began a jam-packed day full of activities. What a schedule! First we played a fun icebreaker game to get to know each other a bit better. I learned a wide variety of things about people from what movies and food they like to what specific bones they have broken. After getting to know all of our classmates we ate dinner in the Bice basement lounge. We then split up into teams and set off on a campus scavenger hunt. What a fun way to get to know our way around the grounds! My personal favorite tasks that my team completed were kissing the Thomas Jefferson statue on the lawn, building a human pyramid and reenacting a scene from a Disney movie on the amphitheater stage.
     When we returned to Bice around 8:45pm we played the song lyrics game in teams, and then we went back in the basement for a super hilarious game of telephone charades. It ’s like the game telephone, but instead of whispering into the next person’s ear, you act out the word. We ended up with some pretty twisted answers when the last person had to guess the word. Somehow rollercoaster turned into a car crash, flamingo turned into the chicken dance and elephant turned into a religious prayer ritual. Finally when we returned to our rooms and we all ate ice cream sundaes in Emily’s room. Now it’s 11:00pm and I am thoroughly worn out! I want to get some sleep for tomorrow, but at the same time I really want to hang out with all my new friends. I’m totally excited for the next two weeks!
—Michelle Kinzer of Annandale High School

We passed through the doors of Bice Hall around 12:00.  After lugging my home up the two terrible flights on the elevator, I tried to make some sense of how to put my life together for the next two weeks.  Over the next two hours, my roommates drifted in with their belongings.  Though the room was slightly crowded with the armies of parents barracked beside us, with their help we got moved in fairly quickly, said our goodbyes, and started off on the tour.
     From Thorton Hall and the classrooms to the corner to the lawn, we toured the sights of good ole UVA.  And what a sight it was.  That’s probably the most inspiring thing about UVA to me.  I look around and see the 200-year-old buildings surrounding me, see Edgar Allen Poe’s room, and Thomas Jefferson’s statue, and bask in the presence of the greatest men in the history of the United States.  I’m standing and learning in the same place where Madison and Jefferson once stood. And it amazes me.
     We returned to Bice Hall for the orientation, a couple name games where we all tried our best to not fall over everyone else, and then went out for the scavenger hunt.  We kissed statues, embarrassed bearded men wearing madras pants, and then Caroline stated that a guy across the street was indeed wearing…pants.  Finally after several trips to the UVA Corner and harassing the UVA souvenir shop employees for a Virginia Tech shirt (all in good fun of course), we returned home to dinner and night of singing, telephone charades, and ice cream, and we ended a full, fun day. A good start to a promising two weeks.
—David Newill-Smith of Clover Hill High School in Chesterfield County

High School Leaders Program Class of 2008
Day 2, Sunday, July 13
Reported by: Martina Hairston and J.R. Riegel

Today was particularly enjoyable. Having helped each other through trying challenges, we now know and trust each other not only as fellow attendees of the HSLP, but as friends. After the initial drive of almost two hours, we arrived at Challenge Discovery. Of course, to taunt us, the owners of Challenge Discovery decided to set up their tent and activities directly next to the roller coasters of King's Dominion. However, the noises of the theme park faded away as we became absorbed in the activities of the day. After the initial introductions, we made a large circle and learned the ways of pirates. Although it may have felt odd at first to make lighthouse noises and deck-swabbing motions, it was an excellent and exciting icebreaker. Following this, we separated into three groups – the tigers, the pandas, and the raccoons.
      The authors of this post happen to have both been tigers, so we cannot speak of what the pandas and raccoons started out doing. We, however, began by learning each others names by way of throwing a ball about. Afterwards, we were led into the forest where the challenges begun. First off was a series of cables connected between trees. The goal of this exercise was to work effectively as a team to get our entire group from one side of the course to the other. After some initial planning and trials, we worked our way to the goal together. Because this was the first of these events, our progress was very noticeable. We quickly opened up to each other and communicated much more actively – even those doing nothing at the moment were able to aid the team with encouragement and advice.
     Subsequent challenges included an X made of rope on which two team members had to start on opposite ends and then switch places. This too, we soon discovered, required continuous communication and help from all members of the team. We then climbed an initially daunting arrangement of logs, ropes, and footholds called the Alpine Tower. With the encouragement and support of our teams, many of us climbed up the 60 feet to the top. Finally, we moved on to a towering machination which required the work of many of us to move others across the obstacles. On the ground, we pulled and slackened ropes to move those of us up above across the ladders, ropes, cables, and planks that led the way to the final zip line.
     These activities were, of course, much more than just fun. They taught us not only about each others' abilities, but our own as well. We developed our communication and listening skills, and we came to trust each other with our lives. Challenge Discovery helped us come together – it broke down our individual barriers, opening us up to each other and helping us form a strong community. We developed our abilities to work effectively as a team, which is unquestionably vital to success in the world. We had a whole lot of fun while we came together as a strong, trusting, and close team. It was an enjoyable, educational, and an overall exceptional day.

— Martina Hairston, Roanoke, Patrick Henry High School Class of 2009
     J.R. Riegel, Glasgow, Rockbridge County High School Class of 2008
 

High School Leaders Program Class of 2008
Day 3, Monday, July 14
Reported by:  John Barber and Joi Crenshaw

     This morning as my classmates and I walked to class, we did so in anticipation. All of us were eager to meet our speaker. As we entered the room, Mr. McGuire, the first speaker of the day, greeted us. During our three-hour time period together we analyzed and discussed a powerpoint presentation. The powerpoint broke down statistics about various regions across Virginia. Once some of my classmates got more in-depth into the discussion, they began to interact with Mr. McGuire as well as those around them. After our discussion concluded, it was time for lunch. When lunch was over we were broken off into groups separated by the regions in which we live. In those sub-groups conversations arose about the pros and cons of each of our various regions. It was discovered that each region had different pros and cons. Later on this afternoon Chris Saxman joined us. He was quite entertaining, very open, and obviously secure in his beliefs. Before I knew it, the day was finished. It was truly a great beginning, and only a taste of what is to come.
—Joi Crenshaw of J.R. Tucker High School

     So, it’s day three, and also our first day of classes, which is pretty exhilarating if I say so myself.  We started classes off with “The Informed Citizen” instructed by Mr. Matt McGuire.  It was really interesting to talk about the divide of our country according to party affiliation, and Mr. McGuire’s insight on this matter was really informative and helped us to understand some of the information from the Washington Post articles. Next, we discussed a powerpoint showing the demographics, ethnicity, etc. of Virginia and the various regions of the state.  I was thoroughly interested in topics such as the problems of the regions, or where the income of the state comes from.  We next did an activity that would show us whether our region tended to lean left or right, and also if we had many swing vote attributes.
     After lunch, we began work on our Culminating Projects, it was very informative and all the while interesting to see the problems that the other regions had.  Some of them were very funny to hear, some were odd, and some made a lot of sense.  Though our regions have a lot of differences, there were some strengths and weaknesses that we all share.  It was a nice feeling to see that we all worried about the same things, even if we thought differently on some issues.  After that it was time to choose the one problem that affected the state the most. The diversity in the problems we saw for the state was a sign that we all are our own people, and don’t just worry about the same things.  Finally, before our next speaker came in, we voted on what we would want to work on the most.
     Delegate Chris Saxman came in to speak to us (see photo), and I found his lecture to be very good.  Delegate Saxman was open to us and treated us like we were adults, yet still had a sense of humor.  He was very good at answering questions, and made sure that everyone who had a question got an answer.  I thought when he answered that he elaborated on it so well that there wasn’t much need for a further answer, he got to the point basically.
     The last thing we did before we left the class was work on our introductions, which was helpful.  I enjoyed getting to learn more about everybody such as quirks, hobbies, and other things of the matter.  Tonight, we begin research on our Culminating Projects, and also begin the reading for tomorrow’s session of "The Informed Citizen."  I’m sure the future will have something exciting in wait for us.
—John Barber of Fluvanna County High School